Temporary art in the park

Sketch of Jason Yi's 15ft installation of "That Hollow Rendering of Jason Yi’s installation titled “That Hollow Feeling,” which will be on exhibit at Olbrich Park.

Madison has festivals devoted to food and to art. But organizers of a new east side event are bringing the two art forms together.

The August 20 Makeshift Festival at Olbrich Park will showcase temporary art installations made just for the festival. “It’s exciting how space spurs the artists’ creativity,” says curator Bethany Jurewicz.

“There’s a lot to be said for the whimsy of having temporary art in nontraditional spaces,” says Makeshift co-founder Bob Hemauer. “It appeals to those who gravitate toward a playful and festival-like atmosphere to consume art, rather than a place like the Chazen or MMoCA.”

Artists from Chicago, Madison and Milwaukee — and even as far away as Ghana — will each showcase one piece. Two artists will curate their own 10 x 20-foot tents. The Bubbler from Madison Public Library and the Arts + Literature Laboratory will create mobile galleries in 20-foot-long storage containers. Other artists will debut large-scale pieces, some site-specific. (The art in the show is not for sale.)

Madison-based artist and satirist Michael Duffy will debut a text-based piece atop Olbrich’s sledding hill: letters hung on wires and suspended between two trees. The artist calls it “flying flags of airborne poetry.” So far, organizers are keeping the content a surprise.

Chicago-based artist Alexandra Peyton-Levine will debut a site-specific piece using strips of natural and found materials that will hang from a tree. Attendees will be able to walk through the piece, and will be encouraged to touch it.

Makeshift Festival received a BLINK grant from the Madison Arts Commission, and several pieces will continue to be displayed in the community after the festival.

Makeshift Festival, which runs 3-8 p.m., is a free event that does not require tickets; food and alcohol will be sold for $5 (cash only) per plate/glass. All proceeds from merchandise and beverage sales will benefit the Madison Parks Foundation, as will 40 percent of food sales.

“Combining art with public spaces is inspirational to us,” says Hemauer, who serves on the board of the Madison Parks Foundation. “We want to create new sets of memories in these public spaces so we don’t take them for granted.”

Editor's Note: An earlier version of this story linked to a website for tickets. Makeshift's policies have since changed: admission is now free and does not require tickets.